Site Researcher Training in the Formative Evaluation Process for School Improvement (FEPSI) (Macon, Georgia, October 1999). A Report on the Formative Evaluation Process for School Improvement: A Joint Initiative between AEL, Inc. and the Center for Research in Education al Policy (CREP) at the University of Memphis. CSRD Evaluation

As part of the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) program, schools participated in the Formative Evaluation Process for School Improvement (FEPSI), a package of services mainly provided during two visits each school year. This document reports on the evaluation of training for Georgia educators involved in FEPSI as site researchers. Twenty-two of the original 30 participants returned a completed evaluation form after the training. Participants rated all items on the survey as highly related (mean of 4.1 or above on a 5-point scale) to specific and general training objectives, and believed the training was conducted by competent presenters in a professional manner. Participants appeared to learn most about the role of formative evaluation in the CSRD program. In general, participants seemed pleased with the training materials and found the benchmarking materials for the FEPSI process to be helpful. They would have preferred more training in benchmarking and would have liked more time to practice the benchmarking process. Some recommendations are made for program improvement. Appendixes contain the school observation measure site researchers would use, a sample benchmark document, the evaluation form, and a checklist for applying the standards from the "Program Evaluation Standards," 1994. (SLD)